Wednesday, August 26, 2015

My Secret for Long Lasting Eyeshadow & Eyeliner

I have hooded eyes ... My eyelids are barely visible. My hooded eyes, combined with my slightly-oily skin, equaled a constant problem with creasing eyeshadow and eyeliner that transferred to the area above the crease of my eyes. Primers didn't help.

So how do I brighten my eyes without looking like a clown by midday?

I use the glossiest-black liquid eyeliner (waterproof, of course) that I could find. The glossy black color delivers the dramatic impact while the thin line (that I draw right at the lash line), combined with the waterproof formula, stays put.

I thicken the line slightly at the outer corner and leave the bottom lash line bare. This technique makes my eyes pop. It also helps me avoid the irritation and constant tearing that always starts as soon as I put anything on my lower lash line (I blame my allergies.).

I really did love the glossy-black, inky color of Marc Jacobs' Blacquer, but have never been a fan of felt tip applicators.

My "go to" glossy alternative is Maybelline's Hyperglossy Liquid Liner. The fine point of the included brush is easy to use and the waterproof formula lasts all day. The price is also much cheaper.

I combine the liner with a deep shadow, usually plum or black, to create a smoky eye. My holy grail is a henna-based face & body stain by HennaKing. The henna stain doesn't crease, smear or cake up.

I also use the black stain, with a slanted eyeliner brush (I found it at Sephora.), on my eyebrows. I use the brush to make light, hair-like strokes that look quite natural ... I prefer this long-lasting option over eyebrow gel. I then finish the total look with Maybelline's Black Stiletto Mascara.

I have worn this combination in the rain and snow, in addition to the hot days of summer ... My makeup has been through it all and stayed intact.

Update: I just realized that I left out a couple of my application tips:

I use a small concealer brush to apply the eyeshadow stain. It's more precise than the included sponge-tip applicator and gives more control over how much stain I use ... Less for day, more for drama.

I recently learned the "broken" mascara wand trick ... If you gently "break" the wand so it stays bent at angle, it's much easier to apply mascara.